Inmates sentenced for Vaughn Correctional Center riot

Delaware News Desk

Saturday

Sep 14, 2019 at 8:44 AM

The riot in 2017 resulted in the murder of correctional officer Lt. Steven Floyd at the Vaughn Correctional Center near Smyrna.

A Delaware Superior Court judge sentenced three inmates Friday for their roles in the 2017 riot which resulted in the murder of correctional officer Lt. Steven Floyd at the Vaughn Correctional Center near Smyrna.

Dwayne Staats, 37, was sentenced to two life sentences in prison plus 153 years for his conviction on two counts of first-degree murder, rioting, two counts of first-degree assault, four counts of first-degree kidnapping and second-degree conspiracy, according to a press release from the Delaware Attorney General's office.

Jarreau Ayers, 38, was sentenced to 123 years for his conviction on rioting, two counts of first-degree assault, four counts of first-degree kidnapping and second-degree conspiracy.

Royal Downs, 54, was sentenced to three years for his guilty plea to rioting to be served at the conclusion on his life sentence in Maryland.

All three of the defendants were already serving terms of life in prison for previous first-degree murder convictions.

Sgt. David Weaver and a team Delaware State Police Homicide Unit investigators led the investigation in the aftermath of the riot and were critical to securing this outcome.

Attorney General Kathleen Jennings released the following statement after the sentencing:

“We are grateful for the hard work that prosecutors, investigators and staff did to find those responsible for the riot and to present the strongest case that the State could under tremendously difficult circumstances. Above all else we continue to think of the Floyd family, Patricia May, Winslow Smith, Joshua Wilkinson, and the staff of the Department of Correction, all of whom have suffered incredible grief and endured a long, arduous process over the last 31 months.”